Nursing practice environment and outcomes for oncology nursing

The moderating role of just culture between nursing practice environment and oncology nurses' silent behaviors toward patient safety: A multicentered study

BACKGROUND

Patient safety is a critical part of healthcare delivery that must be prioritized to guarantee optimal patient outcomes. Oncology nursing is a specialized area of nursing that demands great focus on patient safety because of the high-risk nature of this patient group. Nurses play an important role in ensuring that patients receive safe and effective care. However, the nursing practice environment can have a substantial impact on how nurses respond to patient safety problems. A just culture can promote open communication and identify potential safety issues, whereas a culture of silence can have a negative impact on patient outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

Firstly, assess the relationship between the nursing practice environment and oncology nurses' silent behavior towards patient safety. Secondly, the interaction effect of just culture as a moderator in this relationship.

METHOD

A cross-sectional, correctional research design was employed. Data was collected from 303 nurses working at the oncology departments of five hospitals in Egypt using three questionnaires. Data was analyzed using SPSS-PROCESS Macro (v4.2).

RESULTS

There was a moderate, negative, and significant correlation between the nurse practice environment and silent behavior of nurses towards patient safety. The interaction effect of just culture with nurse practice environment strengthens this relationship, thus enhancing errors reporting.

CONCLUSIONS

This study emphasized on the importance of creating a just culture that facilitates open communication and eliminating the potential hazards result from nurses' silence. Thus, oncology nurses must be encouraged to report issues related to patient safety.

Registered Nurses' Well-Being, Michigan, 2022

Objectives. To examine nurses' well-being and identify individual and workplace factors associated with adverse outcomes. Methods. We administered an e-mail survey to registered nurses in Michigan in March 2022. Outcomes included the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory-Exhaustion scale, self-harm thoughts (yes/no), and overall wellness on a 0 to 10 visual analog scale. Covariates included practice environment, psychological safety, workplace abuse, staffing adequacy, stress coping strategies, and demographics. We examined associations between covariates and exhaustion, thoughts of self-harm (both via logistic regression), and overall wellness (via linear regression). Results. Among surveyed nurses, 93.63% reported significant exhaustion, 9.88% reported self-harm thoughts, and the mean (SD) overall wellness score was 6.2 (2.3). Factors associated with exhaustion included inadequate staffing, lower psychological safety, and younger age. Factors associated with self-harm thoughts included recent workplace physical abuse and younger age. Factors associated with higher wellness scores included employer support, favorable practice environments, higher job satisfaction, and positive coping strategies. Conclusions. Negative well-being outcomes were prevalent among registered nurses and were associated with correctable workplace deficits. Nurses' well-being is a national public health problem that warrants comprehensive interventions at individual, workplace, and community levels. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(S2):S180-S188. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307376).

A Structured Discharge Education Intervention for Parents of Newly Diagnosed Pediatric Oncology Patients

Background: Parents of children newly diagnosed with cancer require specialized knowledge and skills in order to safely care for their children at home. The Children's Oncology Group (COG) developed expert consensus recommendations to guide new diagnosis education; however, these recommendations have not been empirically tested. Methods: We used a sequential two-cohort study design to test a nurse-led Structured Discharge Teaching Intervention (SDTI) that operationalizes the COG expert recommendations in the setting of a tertiary children's hospital. Outcomes included parent Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS); Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale (QDTS); Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty (PDCD); Nurse Satisfaction; and post-discharge unplanned healthcare utilization. Results: The process for discharge education changed significantly before and after implementation of the SDTI, with significantly fewer instances of one-day discharge teaching, and higher involvement of staff nurses in teaching. Overall, parental RHDS, QDTS, and PDCD scores were similar in the unintervened and intervened cohorts. Almost 60% of patients had unplanned healthcare encounters during the first 30 days following their initial hospital discharge. Overall nurse satisfaction with the quality and process of discharge education significantly increased post-intervention. Discussion: Although the structure for and process of delivering discharge education changed significantly with implementation of the SDTI, parent RHDS and QDTS scores remained uniformly high and PDCD scores and non-preventable unplanned healthcare utilization remained similar, while nurse satisfaction with the quality and process of discharge education significantly improved, suggesting that further testing of the SDTI across diverse pediatric oncology settings is warranted.

Burnout and intent to leave during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study of New Jersey hospital nurses

Aim

The aim of this work is to examine staffing, personal protective equipment (PPE) adequacy and physical exhaustion that contributed to burnout and intent to leave among hospital nurses during the first peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Background

Burnout is associated with adverse nurse and patient outcomes. Identifying the magnitude of burnout that occurred during the pandemic can prepare managers for the long‐term mental health effects on nurses.

Methods

A cross‐sectional, electronic survey was administered to examine perceptions of burnout and intent to leave among all New Jersey hospital nurses from October 6 to October 26, 2020.

Results

A total of 3030 nurses responded with 64.3% reporting burnout and 36.5% reporting intent to leave the hospital within a year. There was a significant association between high levels of burnout and intent to leave (χ² = 329.4; p = .001). There was no association between staffing and burnout; however, reporting inadequate PPE (OR = 1.77 [95% CI: 1.34–2.34]) and physical exhaustion (OR = 3.89 [95% CI: 3.19–4.76]) remained predictors of burnout among nurses.

Conclusion

Inadequate PPE and physical exhaustion coupled with short staffing contributed to burnout and intent to leave.

Implications for Nursing Management

Managers should continue to utilize evidence‐based mental health interventions and advocate within their nursing professional organizations for relief funds to reduce burnout.

Quality of work life and working conditions among oncology nurses: A national online descriptive cross-sectional study

The aim of this study was to examine the quality of work life (QoWL) and working conditions of oncology nurses in Turkey. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. The data were collected via the introductory information form and Brooks' Quality of Nursing Work Life Survey. The study was completed with 138 nurses. The factors affecting QoWL were determined using stepwise multiple linear regression. Nurses had a moderate QoWL, and age, duration of working in nursing, the number of nurses, and the working style were significantly associated with QoWL. To improve the QoWL, the nurses' socio-demographic factors should be considered and working conditions should be improved. Furthermore, well-designed institutional policies should be developed to improve the patient-nurse ratio and provide a quality healthcare.What this paper adds?In the current study, Turkish oncology nurses had a moderate quality of work life.Age, duration of working in the nursing, the number of nurses in the unit and the working style were linked to work-related quality of life in oncology nurses.Well-designed institutional policies should be developed to improve the working conditions and to increase work-related quality of life in oncology nurses.

The Impact of Working Environment on Nurses' Caring Behavior in Sabah, Malaysia

Aims

This study aims to investigate 5 types of work environment influencing nurses' caring behavior, namely (i) participation in hospital affairs, (ii) foundations for quality of care, (iii) manager ability, leadership, and support of nurses, (iv) staffing and resource adequacy, and (v) nurse-physician relations.

Design

This research is a cross-sectional study using the survey method.

Methods

Data were collected from 3,532 nurses working in public hospitals and health clinics within Sabah, Malaysia in 2015. The hypothesized model was evaluated using partial least squares method.

Results

The findings reveal that all forms of work environment have a positive effect on nurses' caring behavior except for staffing and resource adequacy which shows a negative effect on caring behavior.

Conclusion

Overall, this study has added to theoretical contributions in the academic and research fields as well as in practical implications in the field of nursing practice by addressing the influence of work environments on caring behavior.

Implications for Nursing Management

The present research has provided convergent evidence on the role of the working environment in influencing the behavior of nurses working in hospitals and health clinics in Sabah, Malaysia.

Impact of new cancer therapies on outpatient treatment delivery for colorectal cancer: A population-based study

We investigated the impact of new systemic therapies approved in Canada for colorectal cancer on the frequency, intensity and duration of oncology clinic and infusion visits over five treatment phases from diagnosis (P1, P3) to treatment (P2, P4) of primary and metastatic disease, respectively, and during the last 6 months of life (P5). In total, 15,157 adult patients with newly diagnosed colorectal cancer and referred between 2000 and 2012 to any cancer clinic in British Columbia, Canada, were included. Frequency, intensity and duration of medical oncology clinic visits (CVs), oncology infusions (OIs) and oncology prescriptions (OPs) were measured by treatment phase. Mean, total and adjusted total duration for CVs increased for P1-5. CVs increased in P1-5, and in P1-4 when adjusted by treatment length. Adjusted and unadjusted OIs decreased in P1 coinciding with the introduction of an oral treatment option, but increased in P2-5. Mean OI duration increased in P1-5, while total and adjusted total decreased in P1 and increased in P2-5. OPs increased in P2-4, but were unchanged in P1 and P5. Multi-fold increases in resources and time required per patient were also observed, which have significant implications for demand projections in cancer care planning and delivery. In conclusion, patients required more visits in almost all treatment phases, visits on average took longer and patients were in treatment for longer periods of time.

Why Some Nurses Obtain Specialty Certification and Others Do Not

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether there are modifiable characteristics of nurses and hospitals associated with nurse specialty certification.

BACKGROUND

Hospitals, nurses, and patients benefit from nurse specialty certification, but little actionable evidence guides administrators seeking higher hospital certification rates.

METHODS

This is a cross-sectional, secondary data analysis of 20 454 nurses in 471 hospitals across 4 states.

RESULTS

Rates of certified nurses varied significantly across hospitals. Higher odds of certification were associated with Magnet® recognition and better hospital work environments at the facility level, and with BSN education, unit type (most notably, oncology), older age, more years of experience, and full-time employment at the individual nurse level.

CONCLUSION

Two strategies that hold promise for increasing nurse specialty certification are improving hospital work environments and preferentially hiring BSN nurses.

Factors Associated With Job Satisfaction in Medical Oncology Practices: Results From a Multisite Survey

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to examine the factors influencing job satisfaction of nurses, physicians, and advanced practice providers in ambulatory oncology settings.

BACKGROUND

Job satisfaction is essential to clinician well-being and quality of care.

METHODS

In 2017, clinicians from 29 ambulatory medical oncology practices completed anonymous paper questionnaires that examined job satisfaction, clinician-to-clinician communication, and perceptions of patient safety. Linear regression, adjusted for clustered observations, examined the relationship between job satisfaction, clinician communication, and patient safety perceptions.

RESULTS

Of 280 respondents (response rate of 68%), 85% reported that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their current position. Patient safety and accuracy of clinician communication were positively and significantly associated with job satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Although most surveyed clinicians were satisfied, 15% were dissatisfied and reported communication and safety concerns. Leadership efforts to strengthen clinician communication actions and develop positive safety cultures are promising strategies to promote clinician well-being and high-quality cancer care.

Perceived Quality of Nursing Care Among Cancer Patients Attending Hawassa University Comprehensive Specialized Hospital Cancer Treatment Center; Hawassa Southern Ethiopia: Cross-Sectional Study

Background

Cancer has become one of the most common and the second leading cause of death. According to grounded theory, quality care is meeting all the needs of the patients. Low-quality nursing care relates omission of nursing care required to meet patients' need. Quality of nursing care in oncologic setting was nursing practice area where studies are limited.

Objective

The aim of the study was to assess the perceived quality of nursing care among patients with cancer attending Hawassa University comprehensive specialized Hospital.

Methods

A quantitative Cross-sectional study was conducted. Among the proposed 422 patients with cancer, using a simple random sampling technique 415 patients were included in this study. Seven data were discarded due to incompleteness and inconsistency between collected data and patient medical record. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and Quality of Oncology Nursing Care Scale. We carried out statistical analysis using SPSS V-20. We used descriptive analysis to examine the quality of oncology nursing care.

Results

The mean age of patients was 42.51 (±14.24) years, among patients diagnosed with cancer more than one-third 148 (35.70%) had breast cancer. The majority of patients with cancer 173 (41.70%) were in stage-III. Nearly two-third 266 (64.10%) of patients were on chemotherapy. Among study participants on treatment, 249 (60.00%) perceived they received good quality of nursing care. The mean score related to the domain of support and confirmation is 62.73 ± 7.26. In terms of spiritual care, the mean score is 21.03 ± 5.37.

Conclusion

The perceived quality of nursing care was high however not all domains of oncology care were achieved. We recommend Detail and focused study to explore important predictors’ quality nursing care.

[Prediction Model for Nursing Work Outcome of Nurses: Focused on Positive Psychological Capital]

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to construct and test a structural equation model on nursing work outcomes based on Youssef and Luthans' positive psychological capital and integrated conceptual framework of work performance.

METHODS

This study used a structured questionnaire administered to 340 nurses. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

RESULTS

Positive psychological capital showed indirect and direct effects on job satisfaction, retention intention, organizational citizenship behavior, and nursing performance. While, the nursing work environment had direct and indirect effects on job satisfaction and nursing performance, it only had indirect effects on intention to work and organizational citizenship behavior. Additionally, a mediating effect on retention intention and organizational citizenship behavior was found between job satisfaction and nursing performance variables.

CONCLUSION

The nursing organization needs to build a supportive work environment and reinforce positive psychological capital to improve nursing performance. Additionally, it needs to actively manage the necessary parameters involved in the stages of job satisfaction, retention intention, nursing performance, and organizational citizenship behavior of nurses. The findings propose the continuous management of nursing personnel based on nurses' attitude outcome, behavioral intention, behavioral outcome, and stage of role performance.

Linking the work environment to missed nursing care in labour and delivery

AIM

To measure the association between the nurse work environment (NWE) and missed nursing care on labour and delivery (L&D) units.

BACKGROUND

L&D units provide a sizable fraction of acute hospital services to a unique population that is a national and global priority. L&D nurses are the frontline providers during labour. Maternal morbidity and mortality may be influenced by the NWE and missed care.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study utilized secondary data from 1,313 L&D staff nurses in 247 hospitals from a four-state nurse survey collected in 2005-2008.

RESULTS

Half of nurses missed care (range: zero to 100% across hospitals). Nurses on average missed 1.25 of 10 activities. The most commonly missed activities were comforting/talking with patients and teaching/counselling. In better as compared to poor NWEs, the odds and frequency of missed care were significantly lower.

CONCLUSIONS

L&D nurses routinely miss necessary nursing activities. Labouring women's psychosocial, comfort and educational needs are compromised most often, likely impacting quality and outcomes. Nurse communication with colleagues and managers about missed care is warranted.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

The L&D NWE is modifiable and appears to influence missed care. Managers should discuss missed care with staff and measure their NWE to identify actionable weaknesses.

Instruments for assessing professional nursing practice environments: An integrative review

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the instruments used to evaluate the professional nursing practice environments in the hospital context. Method: An integrative review, whose research process was conducted independently by two researchers in the period from July to August 2019 in the CINHAL, PubMed and SciELO databases. Results: Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 53 studies published between 2009 and 2019 were considered for analysis. Ten instruments and three thematic areas were identified: instruments for the assessment of the nursing professional practice environments; implications of the use of instruments for the assessment of nursing professional practice environments; limitations of the instruments for the assessment of nursing professional practice environments. Conclusion: Despite the relevance of the instruments identified, this integrative review provides contributions that support the need to use specific tools to assess the nursing practice environments that include the structure, process and outcome components.

Burnout Precursors in Oncology Nurses: A Preliminary Cross-Sectional Study with a Systemic Organizational Analysis

Burnout negatively affects nurses’ health and performance. Healthcare managers have an ethical duty to create healthy organizations that reduce burnout, especially within critical settings such as oncology. The aim of this study was twofold: (1) to measure the presence of nurses’ burnout to formulate organizational strategies to prevent the syndrome onset, and (2) to evaluate the effect of recent organizational changes on the burnout phenomenon. A descriptive, cross-sectional design supported by a systemic organizational analysis was conducted in a Swiss Oncology Institute in 2013. Of 103 nurses working in the Institute, 52 (51.4%) completed the Burnout Potential Inventory (BPI) questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Burnout risk levels were low to moderate. Only 2 nurses out of the 52 showed moderate burnout risk levels. Inpatient nurses showed a higher risk of burnout than outpatient nurses, particularly due to ambiguity and feelings of powerlessness. Nurses with post-basic education showed a higher risk when considering poor teamwork values and ambiguity in the workplace. Poor middle-management was found to negatively influence worker wellbeing. The working environment set by management resulted in low burnout risk levels. Managers must carefully select middle-management because inappropriate leadership might promote the onset of burnout.

Practice environment scale of the nursing work index: Portuguese version and psychometric properties

AIM

To assess the psychometric properties regarding the Portuguese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index.

BACKGROUND

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index is the most widely used measure for assessing the practice environment. A model with a higher number of factors appears to be more adequate to Portuguese settings.

METHOD

A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index using a sample of 850 Portuguese nurses. Three models were tested: the original model, a seven-factor model and a higher-order model. An analysis of invariance was performed in two subsets to confirm the stability of the solution.

RESULTS

The seven-factor model fit better to the data than the original model. After refinement, this solution showed suitability and a stable factor structure. Reliability, convergent validity and discriminant validity were confirmed. A second-order factor solution also showed suitability.

CONCLUSION

The seven-factor structure of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index showed a better goodness-of-fit to Portuguese settings than the original structure. The second-order factor solution allows an overall assessment of practice environments.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

The Portuguese version of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index is a valuable tool for assessing Portuguese nursing practice environments. The seven-factor solution of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index showed high specificity.

Job satisfaction in an oncology nursing team

ABSTRACT Objective: to identify the level of attributed, perceived and real job satisfaction of oncology nursing professionals and analyze the relationships between the levels of satisfaction among these workers. Method: a descriptive, quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted using the Index of Work Satisfaction (IWS) to evaluate the nursing team, nurses and technicians/auxiliaries. A total of 348 workers answered the questionnaire, of which 216 were fully completed and considered for the IWS calculation. Results: Autonomy was considered the most important item in attributed satisfaction for the nursing team and nurses. Salary was valorized most by the technicians/auxiliaries. For perceived satisfaction, Professional Status was the most important for all workers. Regarding real satisfaction, Interaction was the most important for the nursing team and technicians/auxiliaries; while the nurses valorized Autonomy. The nurses presented the greatest job satisfaction. Conclusion: a discrepancy was observed in job satisfaction among the oncology nurses, indicating the importance of further quantitative research.

Exploring the Interaction Between Nursing Decision Making and Patient Outcomes in 2 European Cancer Centers: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND

In some clinical settings, nurses have difficulty describing the outcomes of their caring activities. Understanding the reasons for this could help nurse leaders to improve the effectiveness and visibility of nursing practice and safeguard nurses' working conditions.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to understand how nurses working in 2 different adult cancer centers make healthcare decisions and assess the respective outcomes on their patients.

METHODS

Through a constructivist grounded theory approach, we involved 15 clinical cancer nurses with different experiences and educational backgrounds and 6 nurse managers, working in 2 comprehensive cancer centers, 1 in Italy and 1 in Switzerland. Data were collected in 2 phases using 20 semistructured interviews and 9 field observations.

RESULTS

Six macrocategories emerged: interacting with situational factors, deciding relevant interventions, using multiple decision-making approaches, evaluating interventions and reporting them, pursuing healthcare outcomes, and clarifying professional identity and roles. Nurses' decision-making processes varied and were influenced by various factors, which mutually influenced one another. This process was interpreted using an explicative theory called "dynamic decision-making adaptation."

CONCLUSIONS

The present study showed how the aims, contents, and degree of autonomy in the nurses' decision-making process are strongly influenced by the dialectic interaction between professional and contextual factors, such as competency and professional identity.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Cancer nurses could influence their clinical practice by developing nursing competencies that effectively resolve patients' problems. This is a key factor that nurses govern autonomously and therefore a responsibility that involves the entire nursing educational, organizational, and scientific leadership.

Personal Protective Equipment Use and Hazardous Drug Spills Among Ambulatory Oncology Nurses

Purpose/Objectives

To examine patterns and organizational correlates of personal protective equipment (PPE) use and hazardous drug spills.

Design

Cross-sectional mailed survey.

Setting

Ambulatory practices in California, Georgia, and Michigan.

Sample

252 Oncology Nursing Society members who administer hazardous drugs.

Methods

Bivariate and multivariable regression analyses.

Main Research Variables

Outcomes were PPE use and hazardous drug spills. Covariates included nursing workloads, nurses’ practice environments, and barriers to PPE use.

Findings

Twenty-six percent reported a recent drug spill, and 90% wore only one pair of chemotherapy-tested gloves. Increased PPE use was associated with increased nurse participation in practice affairs, nonprivate ownership, increased nursing workloads, and fewer barriers to PPE use. Spills were associated with significantly less favorable manager leadership and support and higher workloads.

Conclusions

Drug spills occur often in ambulatory settings. PPE use remains low, and barriers to PPE use persist. Higher workloads are associated with more drug spills.

Implications for Practice

Managers should monitor and correct aberrant workloads and ensure that PPE is available and that staff are trained.

ONCOLOGY NURSING PROFESSIONALS' JOB SATISFACTION AND DISSATISFACTION IN BRAZIL AND PORTUGAL

The aim of this research was to identify the reasons for satisfaction and dissatisfaction among oncology nursing professionals working in Brazil and Portugal. A descriptive and qualitative study was conducted with nine Portuguese nurses and 17 Brazilian nursing professionals, using a questionnaire and interview, which were analyzed according to Bardin's proposition. Satisfaction, in both scenarios, was associated, above all, to the patient and the treatment process, and the bond established between the professional and the individual demanding care. Dissatisfaction resulted primarily from the extensive exposure to high workload and to the deaths of oncology patients. The importance of considering the subjectivity that permeates the work scenario is highlighted, which can have vast and, sometimes, costly implications.

Facilitators and barriers for electronic social support

BACKGROUND

Nonprofit cancer societies play an important role in providing social support for patients with cancer through nonprofit electronic counselling services (ECS) provided by counselling nurses (CNs) with experience in oncology nursing. To date, there exist only few studies addressing the facilitators and barriers for social support of patients with cancer as reported by CNs.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the facilitators and barriers for electronic social support of patients with cancer received from the ECS in the nonprofit cancer societies as reported by CNs.

METHODS

Qualitative design with three group interviews was conducted with 10 CNs in three nonprofit cancer societies in southern and western parts of Finland. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim and content analysed inductively.

FINDINGS

The facilitators were promotion of the access to ECS, functioning structures of ECS, utilisation of the strengths of an individual CN in ECS, promotion of the life management of patients, patient-centeredness as a basis of ECS and reliability of ECS. The barriers for electronic social support were the unmet paths between ECS and patients, nonfunctioning structures of ECS, inadequacy of mutual communication and lack of shared viewpoints between CNs and patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Facilitators and barriers for electronic social support of patients with cancer were related to organisation, individuals and counselling process. The counselling work in ECS as its best promotes the life management of patients with cancer but, alternatively, can lead to conflicts in communication and therefore be a barrier for electronic social support.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

To make the nonprofit ECS better known, the cooperation with hospitals is needed to enable social support for patients. To improve communication between CNs and patients, continuous communications skills training and functional working environments are needed.

Intention to leave the workplace among nurses working with cancer patients in acute care hospitals in Sweden

PURPOSE

To examine associations between perceived leadership and intention to leave the workplace due to job dissatisfaction among registered nurses (RNs) who care for patients with cancer. We also examine intention to leave in relation to proportion of cancer patients, length of time in practice, perceived adequacy of cancer care education, and burnout.

METHODS AND SAMPLE

The data originated from the Swedish component of RN4CAST, based on a survey of RNs working with in-patient care in all acute care hospitals in Sweden. The 7412 RNs reporting ≥10% patients with cancer on their unit were included in this analysis. Data were collected on perceptions of work environment, burnout, future employment intentions, and demographic characteristics. Additional questions related to cancer care.

KEY RESULTS

About 1/3 of all RNs intended to leave their workplace within the next year. Intention to leave was more prevalent among RNs reporting less favourable perceptions of leadership, who had worked ≤ two years as RN, who reported having inadequate cancer care education, and with higher burnout scores. Associations between leadership and intention to leave were stronger among RNs in the profession > two years, who reported having adequate cancer care education, and with lower burnout scores.

CONCLUSIONS

Perception of leadership is strongly associated with intention to leave among RNs in both specialized and general cancer care. This suggests a crucial area for improvement in order to reduce turnover rates.

Quality of care and health professional burnout: narrative literature review

PURPOSE

Quality of care and health professional burnout are important issues in their own right, however, relatively few studies have examined both. The purpose of this paper is to explore quality of care and health professional burnout in hospital settings.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

The paper is a narrative literature review of quality of care and health professional burnout in hospital settings published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2000 and March 2013. Papers were identified via a search of PsychInfo, PubMed, Embase and CINNAHL electronic databases. In total, 30 papers which measured and/or discussed both quality of care and health professional burnout were identified.

FINDINGS

The paper provides insight into the key health workforce-planning issues, specifically staffing levels and workloads, which impact upon health professional burnout and quality of care. The evidence from the review literature suggests that health professionals face heavier and increasingly complex workloads, even when staffing levels and/or patient-staff ratios remain unchanged.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The narrative literature review suggests that weak retention rates, high turnover, heavy workloads, low staffing levels and/or staffing shortages conspire to create a difficult working environment for health professionals, one in which they may struggle to provide high-quality care and which may also contribute to health professional burnout. The review demonstrates that health workforce planning concerns, such as these, impact on health professional burnout and on the ability of health professionals to deliver quality care. The review also demonstrates that most of the published papers published between 2000 and 2013 addressing health professional burnout and quality of care were nursing focused.

Pod nursing on a medical/surgical unit: implementation and outcomes evaluation

A medical/surgical unit at the University of Michigan Health System implemented a pod nursing model of care to improve efficiency and patient and staff satisfaction. One centralized station was replaced with 4 satellites and supplies were relocated next to patient rooms. Patients were assigned to 2 nurses who worked as partners. Three patient (satisfaction, call lights, and falls) and nurse (satisfaction and overtime) outcomes improved after implementation. Efforts should be focused on addressing patient acuity imbalances across assignments and strengthening communication among the healthcare team. Studies are needed to test the model in larger and more diverse settings.

Perceptions about using mindfulness therapy: a lung cancer focus group study

BACKGROUND

Patients with lung cancer are in need of effective strategies to modify symptom burden and improve health-related quality of life (HRQOL). One promising approach to symptom management is an 8-week mindfulness-based intervention, which incorporates meditation, breathing, and gentle yoga exercises. It requires few resources to implement, but has not been adequately tested with lung cancer patients.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to obtain lung cancer patient perceptions of a mindfulness-based intervention.

METHODS

Eleven lung cancer patients participated in audio-taped focus group sessions led by the investigator. Discussion questions probed patient perceptions of mindfulness in terms of symptom management, including benefits and barriers to this therapy and ways the intervention may need to be adapted to accommodate them.

RESULTS

Three primary themes from the qualitative analysis include (1) awareness and interest, (2) perceived barriers and benefits, and (3) recommended adaptations. Specific perceptions included the importance of targeting key symptoms such as dyspnea, worry, and insomnia, whereas recommendations pointed out the need for a shorter duration than the standard 8-week protocol and a home-based approach for greater accessibility.

CONCLUSIONS

The design of mindfulness-based intervention protocols must consider unique characteristics of this vulnerable group, such as targeting specific symptoms, reducing the 8-week protocol, and a home-based offering.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Nurses are integral to optimizing HRQOL and independent functioning for lung cancer patients. As lung cancer survivorship is extended, it becomes increasingly imperative that a range of supportive resources is available for patients to manage symptoms and improve HRQOL.

Nurse employment contracts in Chinese hospitals: impact of inequitable benefit structures on nurse and patient satisfaction

PURPOSE

Ongoing economic and health system reforms in China have transformed nurse employment in Chinese hospitals. Employment of 'bianzhi' nurses, a type of position with state-guaranteed lifetime employment that has been customary since 1949, is decreasing while there is an increase in the contract-based nurse employment with limited job security and reduced benefits. The consequences of inequities between the two types of nurses in terms of wages and job-related benefits are unknown. This study examined current rates of contract-based nurse employment and the effects of the new nurse contract employment strategy on nurse and patient outcomes in Chinese hospitals.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study used geographically representative survey data collected from 2008 to 2010 from 181 hospitals in six provinces, two municipalities, and one autonomous region in China. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between contract-based nurse utilization, dissatisfaction among contract-based nurses, nurse intentions to leave their positions, and patient satisfaction, controlling for nurse, patient, and hospital characteristics.

PRINCIPAL RESULTS

Hospital-level utilization of contract-based nurses varies greatly from 0 to 91%, with an average of 51%. Contract-based nurses were significantly more dissatisfied with their remuneration and benefits than 'bianzhi' nurses who have more job security (P <0.01). Contract-based nurses who were dissatisfied with their salary and benefits were more likely to intend to leave their current positions (P <0.01). Hospitals with high levels of dissatisfaction with salary and benefits among contract-based nurses were rated lower and less likely to be recommended by patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest a high utilization of contract-based nurses in Chinese hospitals, and that the inequities in benefits between contract-based nurses and 'bianzhi' nurses may adversely affect both nurse and patient satisfaction in hospitals. Our study provides empirical support for the 'equal pay for equal work' policy emphasized by the China Ministry of Health's recent regulations, and calls for efforts in Chinese hospitals to eliminate the disparities between 'bianzhi' and contract-based nurses.

Patterns and correlates of missed nursing care in inpatient oncology units

BACKGROUND

Missed nursing care influences the quality of hospital care, yet this problem has not been explored in the oncology setting, nor are the correlates of missed nursing care in inpatient oncology settings understood.

OBJECTIVE

We examined the frequency of missed care in oncology units, differences in missed care between oncology and non-oncology units, and the relationship between unit staffing and missed care.

METHODS

We performed secondary analysis of survey data collected in 2008 to 2009 across 9 hospitals. The MISSCARE Survey was administered to nurses and medical assistants employed in 62 units (n = 2318). Descriptive statistics and linear regression were used to examine the frequency of missed care, differences between oncology (n = 12) and non-oncology units (n=50), and the relationship between unit staffing and missed care.

RESULTS

Oncology nursing unit personnel reported ambulation, care conference attendance, and mouth care as most frequently missed. Oncology units had significantly lower missed care than did non-oncology units (P < .05). Higher patient assignments were associated with an increase in reported missed care (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Missed care is a problem shared by inpatient oncology and non-oncology units. Missed ambulation and mouth care are worrisome, given their importance to oncology patients. Suboptimal staffing increases missed care.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

These data motivate quality improvement and evidence-based management. Clinicians can strategize to ensure patients receive adequate ambulation and mouth care. Managers can use our findings to support the importance of stable nurse staffing to reduce untoward patient outcomes.

A cross-sectional study to identify organisational processes associated with nurse-reported quality and patient safety

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to identify organisational processes and structures that are associated with nurse-reported patient safety and quality of nursing.

DESIGN

This is an observational cross-sectional study using survey methods.

SETTING

Respondents from 31 Norwegian hospitals with more than 85 beds were included in the survey.

PARTICIPANTS

All registered nurses working in direct patient care in a position of 20% or more were invited to answer the survey. In this study, 3618 nurses from surgical and medical wards responded (response rate 58.9). Nurses' practice environment was defined as organisational processes and measured by the Nursing Work Index Revised and items from Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Nurses' assessments of patient safety, quality of nursing, confidence in how their patients manage after discharge and frequency of adverse events were used as outcome measures.

RESULTS

Quality system, nurse-physician relation, patient safety management and staff adequacy were process measures associated with nurse-reported work-related and patient-related outcomes, but we found no associations with nurse participation, education and career and ward leadership. Most organisational structures were non-significant in the multilevel model except for nurses' affiliations to medical department and hospital type.

CONCLUSIONS

Organisational structures may have minor impact on how nurses perceive work-related and patient-related outcomes, but the findings in this study indicate that there is a considerable potential to address organisational design in improvement of patient safety and quality of care.